Voce has earned a national reputation for our commitment to regularly commissioning new works by internationally recognized composers.

In 1990, Voce commissioned the anthem "Sing Me to Heaven" from Virginia composer and WETA radio personality Daniel E. Gawthrop. "Sing Me to Heaven" has gained national recognition and is now in its third printing. In 1995, this work and others by Mr. Gawthrop were released on a CD entitled "Sing Me to Heaven." Mr. Gawthrop invited Voce to perform at Borders Bookstore in Northwest Washington to introduce the release of the recording.

"the chorus sang beautifully, undoubtedly stimulated by Gawthrop's sensitively direct settings of brief Christina Rossetti poems. Nafziger conducted them twice to help the audience acclimate to the subtle interplay between Rossetti's liquid syntax and Gawthrop's wafting, mellifluous musical environment. Although the music is easily accessible, a second hearing held as many surprises as the first."
—The Washington Post, 05/24/99

In 1994, Voce commissioned a choral work entitled "Neither Spirit Nor Bird," by internationally known composer and arranger Alice Parker. This work is based on a Shoshone love poem, and is written for flute, drum and chorus. The piece was debuted by Voce at the Reston Community Center on March 20, 1994.

For the 1996-1997 season Voce commissioned a third work of choral art, a lush Christmas anthem by William Hawley, entitled "Alleluia, Dies Sanctificatus" for chorus and harp. The piece was debuted by Voce at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Great Falls on December 17, 1996 and was very well received. In fact, many audience members indicated that they considered Hawley's piece to be the highlight of the "carols by Candlelight" concert.

Additional Commissions:

"Three Rossetti Lyrics " by Daniel Gawthrop, was performed on Saturday, May 22, 1999.

On April 14, 2000, Voce performed the U.S. premiere of Jose Maria Vitier's "Misa Cubana" in Arlington, Virginia.

On June 5, 2004, Voce performed the regional premiere of the entire cycle of composer Paul Basler's not-fully published "Cantos Alegres" in Reston, Virginia.

On December 15, 2007, Voce premiered "Magnificat, We Sing" by renowned composer and arranger, Alice Parker.